Moon Over Water
by Stelmaria
Summary: Rikuo's secret might be harder to keep then he thought. Now that the intrepid leader of the Kiyo Cross Squad has an eye on him, can Rikuo stay hidden while fending off approaching danger?
1. Chapter 1

Hello everyone! The idea for this story has been bugging me ever since I discovered the awesomeness that is Nurarihyon. Kiyotsugu reminds me of the Trix rabbit, always trying so hard, and never having anything to show for it. So this time I decided to give the poor guy a break. Here's to you, Kiyo! Also, I am lazy so this hasn't been beta read.

*Spoiler Alert*

This story takes place after the Kyoto arc in the manga. If you don't know what that means, it may be completely spoiled for you.

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Kiyotsugu looked out over the school grounds as he waited for the rest of his squad to assemble. Maki and Torii were already there, splayed out over the desks in their usual indifferent poses. Kana sat by the window, looking down at Rikuo scurrying about below. As usual, he had volunteered to help out with any and all school chores left to the other students. Now he was hauling gym equipment back into the shed, while everyone else had left to go change.

Kiyotsugu turned as Shima ran into the room, slightly out of breath.

"Did they work you too hard in Gym today, Shima?" Maki teased, while Torii giggled behind her hands. Shima let out a huff and a sigh, glancing around the room in disappointment.

"Eh, where's Oikawa? Wasn't she here today?"

"Ah," Kiyo called out, running a hand through his hair. "Nura-kun said something earlier about that. I guess she had some work to do today. Which is a shame, since she's going to miss the awesome youkai sightseeing trip I have planned for us!"

"Too bad." Maki said jokingly as she and Torii came up on either side of Shima and patted him on the back. "Yeah, looks like you'll be stuck with just us for the day!" Torii added with a grin.

"Where is Rikuo-kun? What's taking him so long down there?" Kana asked, moving over to join the rest of them. Shima chuckled sheepishly.

"Well, he volunteered to put away all the hurdles since it was track and field practice." Kana crossed her arms in a disapproving gesture and gave him a look. "And you didn't volunteer to help him out?"

"I've gotten used to it, I guess." He grinned sheepishly again before turning to look down at the school grounds where Rikuo had disappeared. "But, it's strange…"

"Oh?" Kiyo asked, curiosity aroused. "Did something interesting happen?" Shima glanced back at him and shrugged.

"We were running sprints today to improve speed. To increase our competitiveness Sensei posted school-wide records so we could try for a new fastest time. Everyone was talking about it… and guess who was on top?"

"Huh? Who was it?" Asked Torii. Shima looked up at the ceiling in thought.

"As it turns out, it was Nura-kun. He got 6.9 seconds in the 6o meter dash way back in 3rd grade."

"No way!" Torii squealed. "Yeah," nodded Shima.

"The 3rd grade, are you serious? How could an elementary schooler post a faster time than anyone today?" Kiyo asked in disbelief. Shima shook his head.

"You don't get it. With a time like that, Nura-kun could have qualified for the Olympics. It's unreal. Everyone just figured it was a mistake with the stopwatch. But I know it wasn't, I was there when it happened - so I remember."

There was a moment of silence as everyone digested this new information.

"Rikuo-kun was different when he was little." Kana said thoughtfully. "He was very good at sports."

Shima snorted. "He still is! Nura-kun doesn't stand out much, but I've never seen him get tired, and he barely ever breaks a sweat." He took the opportunity to frown. "Though he refuses to join the soccer team, no matter how many times I ask him… he always has some crazy excuse, even that time!" He added sullenly.

"What do you mean by a crazy excuse?" Kiyo asked in confusion.

"Well, when everyone asked him how he ran so fast Nura gave us this story about how his Grandpa was really the Supreme Commander of the youkai and that he was super powerful or something like that…"

Torii and Maki turned to each other and burst out laughing.

"He talked about youkai a lot, didn't he? Nura-kun thought they were pretty cool." Maki added.

"I remember Kiyotsugu making fun of him for that, and calling him weird!" Kana stated accusingly, giving Kiyo a hard look. But Kiyo barely noticed. An odd expression passed across his face as he stared off into the distance.

"His Grandpa… Supreme Commander? Huh…" He was deep in thought, rubbing his chin as he murmured to himself.

Nervous laughter bubbled up from across the room, making them all jump. The group looked over to see Rikuo standing just inside the door.

"Rikuo-kun!" Kana called out happily.

"Whoa, Rikuo! That was creepy. We didn't even notice you come in!" Maki said reproachfully. The shorter boy just grinned and ducked his head unassumingly.

"Sorry if I scared you! But… about what you said. My Grandpa told me loads and loads of youkai folk tales when I was little." He looked up and met Kiyo's searching gaze. "As a result, I said lots really stupid stuff before I learned better. Now I know they're just stories though." He stated quietly. At that, Kiyo grinned challengingly and threw up his hands.

"And some stories can be proven true! That's the purpose of our Kiyo Cross Paranormal Investigation Squad! Now that we're all here I'll tell you what I have planned for us…"

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To Be Continued.

Sorry, I know it's kinda short.

Next Time: Rikuo snarls at a Priest!


	2. Chapter 2

Welcome back, everybody! I was glad to see others here love Nurarihyon just as much as I do. (Glomps her Night Rikuo.) Here's the next chapter for your viewing pleasure.

This time: An old guy picks on Rikuo.

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Rikuo hunched his shoulders. He could feel someone watching him. Ever since he had gotten on the train someone had been keeping an eye on him. He tilted his head minutely so that his bangs hid his eyes and subtly glanced around. Almost immediately he met curiously thoughtful brown eyes observing him shamelessly.

"Kiyotsugu-kun?"

At hearing his name called, Kiyo seemed to snap out of whatever thoughts had been keeping him occupied. His blinked once and grinned.

"Nura-kun." Kiyo got up from his spot by the aisle and moved to sit next to Rikuo. The shorter boy shot him a curious look.

"Ah, I was just thinking about that person." He clarified. Rikuo frowned at him.

"That person…?"

"I just realized, you're the only one who's never seen him."

"Seen who?"

"_Him_… the youkai who saved us. The Master of darkness! He might even be the leader of the night parade, Nurarihyon."

"Oh, I guess you're right." Kiyo's eyebrows shot up in surprise at Rikuo's nonchalance.

"On that day with the bus accident… you decided to stay behind, didn't you?" Rikuo gave him a measured look.

"Yeah, I was angry. You made fun of me a little and I didn't like it." Kiyo's eyes softened at his confession. He looked down at his feet in shame.

"I'm sorry about that. It was stupid. You know I didn't mean it, right?" Rikuo favored him with a radiant smile.

"I know, Kiyotsugu-kun. We're friends now." He replied gently.

"But what I don't understand is, why do you want to meet him again? Aren't you afraid he'd sneak into your house and steal all your food? They say that's what he does." Kiyotsugu snorted in amusement.

"I know all of the legends. But he's not like that!" He took a moment to glance out the window in thought. Outside trees and power lines passed by as the train sped through the countryside.

"You know, I've never actually thought about it. If I saw him again, I'm not sure what I'd say." He turned back to Rikuo, and the wonder in his eyes made the shorter boy grin.

"But just to experience that, you know! It's like seeing something awe inspiring, yet secret at the same time. As if you could gaze at the majestic silhouette of Mt. Fuji on the horizon, just at sunrise when the morning haze is still hanging near. And you know it's one of the most beautiful things in the world, but only you will ever be able to see it. And just by seeing it, you life is changed forever." He glanced back at Rikuo and held his gaze.

"That's why I want to meet him again."

Rikuo stared at him in amazement, inspecting his face like he'd never seen it before, unsure what to make of this new and unusual creature.

"I never knew." The boy turned away with a tiny self-depreciating chuckle. "I had no idea you felt that way." He glanced out at scenery blurring by. "He must have been pretty amazing." Kiyotsugu laughed joyously.

"He was, Rikuo! He saved all our lives, without a doubt. And you could tell, just by the way the others acted around him - that he was strong."

With his face turned away from Kiyotsugu, Rikuo couldn't resist rolling his eyes and smirking at their leader's dramatics. But it was followed just as quickly by a foolish grin that he couldn't quite keep suppressed.

The train groaned as the breaks kicked in, slowing them down as they neared their destination. Kiyotsugu jumped up in excitement and turned to find the other members of their squad.

"Get ready everyone! I arranged to have the local priest give us a historical tour of the shrine once we get there. I heard he's an expert on ancient youkai lore!" Maki and Torii gave an enthusiastic cheer while Kana and Shima trailed along half-heartedly.

They were visiting Tomoe Shine, which was located on the outskirts of a small town of the same name. Supposedly, long ago a powerful priestess had sealed away some sort of demon that had been terrorizing the land. Now all that remained was a fragment of the demon's jaw, sealed safely within the shrine.

Rikuo thought of the massive pillars that had been set up for sealing Kyoto by the Keikain clan and shuddered. Any youkai caught unaware would sleep for 400 years.

"Come on, Rikuo-kun! Let's tour the shrine!" Kana called out happily and grabbed his arm to lead him along behind the others. Rikuo gave her a kind smile and glanced back over his shoulder. In the distance a crow flew through the sky, appearing as nothing more than a speck on the horizon. He tilted his head in acknowledgment and moved off to follow Kiyo's squad.

It was a short walk to the shrine. The mid-autumn weather was brisk but pleasant; leaves swirled gently around them as the wind gusted. The Torii gate was in sight by the time Rikuo sensed something was wrong. He slowed down as they approached, falling behind the others in their group. He sent out tendrils of his youkai aura to get a better idea what was bothering him. They brushed against a wall of something painfully pure.

"Is this… a barrier?" He murmured, somewhat bewildered.

"Welcome to Tomoe! You must be the Paranormal Squad." Rumbled an ancient voice from above. The head of the Nura clan glanced up at the stairs leading into the shrine and noticed a tiny old man, hunched over a cane with a web of wrinkles covering every inch of his skin.

"I am Ishikawa Kenichi the priest of this shrine. Follow me and I will give you a tour of the grounds." The old man turned and led them up through the gates at the border.

Rikuo hesitated for a moment before reluctantly stepping forwards. He held out his hands awkwardly in front, waving them around like a blind person. The others carried on ahead, leaving him at the base of the stairs.

He only made it a couple of steps before his hands met resistance. It felt like a cement wall stood before him where the others had simply passed through. He stood there for a moment, baffled. Then the Master of all Spirits gathered his wits with an irritated huff.

"It's just like the barrier around Toono. I'll cut it with my fear." He murmured decisively. The spirit energies surrounding the shrine were high, Rikuo could feel his youkai blood boiling just beneath the surface. He reached out easily to gather his aura.

Kiyotsugu stopped when he heard the old man grunt behind him. The priest had turned back to wait for the last member of their group who was dawdling at the base of the stairs.

"What are you waiting for young man, it's this way." He gestured up the stairs with his cane.

"Nura-kun! Are you practicing to be a mime?" Kiyo asked innocently, looking down at where Rikuo had his hands splayed flat in front of him. His class-mate laughed nervously and scratched the side of his head.

"Ah, no!" He called out self-consciously. "I'm coming. I was just… taking in the view!" Kiyo frowned in confusion as the shorter boy made an odd chopping gesture with his hand. But a moment later he was pacified as Rikuo stepped forward and joined them on the landing.

"Well, alright then! Let's go see some youkai!" He cheered and moved to clap the priest jovially on his back.

The furious look on old man's face made him freeze.

But when he blinked in shock the expression was gone, replaced with a rather creepy blank stare. Without a word he followed the old man in silence, heading up to join the others.

A sudden snarl burst out from behind him, causing an edgy Kiyo to jerk away - half expecting to see a rabid raccoon. Only Rikuo was there, glaring venomously at something in the distance. Kiyo gulped and inched away. His friend was taking that whole mime thing way to seriously…

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To be continued.

Next time: Rikuo picks on an old guy.


	3. Chapter 3

Okay, okay! Here I am with an update! (Fends off her reviewers with a stick.) But, nice to know an author is loved. :P

OMG, have you guys seen chp. 149 of the manga? Edo era Kiyo cracked me up! He got to see a youkai AND the Second! His poor contemporary counterpart gets the short end of the stick, it seems.

This time: Showdown at the Shinto Shrine!

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Rikuo snarled in frustration. He had only managed to get a handful of steps across the border onto the shrine grounds before he felt another barrier snap into place. This one was farther in, surrounding just the shrine building itself, and much stronger. The youkai could already feel that he wouldn't be able to break through it this time.

He sneered in disgust, shifting his gaze to the little old man walking next to him. This had to be his doing. For a moment their eyes met and Rikuo's gaze narrowed in challenge. The priest himself looked rather stunned, but it was quickly morphing into a healthy amount of furious rage. At his look Rikuo let out a huff of pernicious laughter and looked away, ignoring Kiyotsugu who was staring at them both rather strangely.

He picked up the pace and darted ahead, reaching the top of the stairs where the rest of their group was waiting for them. Kana turned around with a curious look as Rikuo ran up beside her. Glancing around, he noticed the shrine itself a little ways off. With the barrier there he wouldn't be able to walk inside. His friends would definitely notice something like that.

Rikuo felt tiny beads of sweat begin forming on his forehead. In this type of situation what should he do? His eyes darted around nervously. The priest was about to reach the top of the stairs, he was running out of time…

A flash of color to the side caught his attention. Rikuo turned to examine what it was. Off in the corner there were a series of vendors set up with brightly colored food carts. They must have been trying to take advantage of all the tourists that came through.

Right on queue Shima's stomach gave a sonorous growl. Into the silence the loud rumble seemed to reverberate off of every wall and corner. Rikuo and the three girls turned to look at him in amazement.

"Are you hungry, Shima-kun?" Maki asked, laughing at him in surprise. The other boy chuckled sheepishly and patted his tummy.

"I guess I am!"

Rikuo tilted his head as an idea suddenly occurred to him, biting back his grin.

"You know, I am too, Shima. We really worked up a sweat today. There are some vendors set up right over there." He said, pointing over to the side. "Why don't we all grab something to eat before the tour starts?" Torii and Maki jumped at the chance, grabbing Shima to drag him along behind them.

"Great idea Nura-kun, I'm starving!" Maki shouted.

"I hope they have melon bread!" Torii exclaimed, following along. Kana giggled and fell in after them, following at a more sedate pace. She glanced back when Rikuo didn't follow her right away.

"Aren't you coming, Rikuo-kun?" The boy covertly glanced around to see what had happened to the old priest and shrugged.

"Yeah."

He turned and gave Kana a warm smile, jogging over to catch up to her. As he moved off he looked over his shoulder, at last spotting Kiyotsugu and the priest. His friend leaned over to speak with the man for a moment before moving off in their direction. The priest frowned and noticed Rikuo by the stand, waiting in line with the others. They stared at each other for a long moment, neither making a move until the priest finally turned away and entered the shrine.

Rikuo's fingers itched to reach for the sword hidden in his jacket. Although he no longer had Nenekirimaru, he had managed to make due with a regular blade. Was this some sort of trap? Perhaps he had simply inadvertently scared the old man on accident? In any case, he would have to be careful not to let anyone get hurt.

Kiyotsugu was terribly confused. There was something going on. Of that he was reasonably certain. What it was exactly, he had absolutely no idea. It was times like these when he wished Keikain-san was still part of their group. He had a feeling she'd be able to tell him what was happening.

"Nura-kun." The boy in question turned to him with an open expression.

"Hai, Kiyotsugu-kun?" Kiyo blinked at him for a few moments in consternation. His friend had been behaving very oddly…

"You did in fact, come here for the tour, didn't you Nura-kun?" He asked, suddenly unsure of this fact. The boy paused for a moment in thought, and then nodded to him cheerfully.

"Yes, Kiyotsugu-kun!" Kiyo felt his eye start to twitch in annoyance.

"Then perhaps, we should head over to the shrine so it can get started? Ishikawa-san is waiting on us." He murmured. The other members of his cross squad were already inside, looking around, inspecting the supposed demon remains, which was where he wanted to be…

If Rikuo would just cooperate! But the boy wouldn't budge! First it had been food. He was hungry, so everyone had shared a meal before the tour. Then, he had wanted a charm from the stand, for good luck he had said. Kiyotsugu could understand that. He had even taken one for himself as well, it was nice to have a few back-ups after all. Next he was thirsty, and then he wanted to admire the trees before he went in, after that he had suddenly developed a pressing need to use the restroom. Now he was finally back, and Kiyotsugu was determined to herd him into the shrine.

Rikuo got a distracted look on his face. A hand reached out to rub his belly. Kiyo raised his eyebrows.

"It's my tummy. I think it was the greasy food we got earlier from the stand." Nura mumbled, glancing away to avoid his eyes. Kiyotsugu sighed. Rikuo looked back at him guiltily.

"I'm sorry, Kiyotsugu. Why don't you just go in without me? No need to hold up the tour on my account. I'll just walk the grounds. The movement might make me feel a little better." Kiyotsugu frowned and nodded reluctantly.

"All right, Nura-kun. I'll just leave you be, then." His frown deepened as he turned away sadly. He heard Rikuo growl in frustration behind him.

"Wait!" The other called out, grabbing his sleeve. He turned back to his friend.

"I'll… I'll walk with you a ways." Nura grumbled, looking away again. Kiyotsugu grinned at him happily.

They walked the distance from the corner of the grounds towards the shrine. Suddenly Kiyotsugu noticed his friend stiffen up uncomfortably.

"What's wrong, Rikuo-kun?" He asked, alarmed. They had come upon a large pillar staked into the ground just beyond the shrine building. It was quite tall, with a series of folded seals tied to the top to form a barrier against malevolent or harmful spirits. Kiyotsugu stared up at it as he finally began to get an inkling as to what was bothering his friend.

"_Ah._" He murmured. Rikuo gave him a curious look. Kiyotsugu just smiled at him in gentle understanding.

"It's fine, Rikuo-kun. I'm sorry if I was too harsh earlier. I didn't understand how uncomfortable this place made you. I'll talk to the others and we can leave if you need to."

Nura's eyes got wide as he gaped at his friend in shock. He looked at the pillar, to him, and back again as a sort of dawning horror crept upon him.

"What? How did you… _no! _It's not… I'm _fine_ Kiyotsugu-kun!" He burst out, looking a bit panicked. Kiyo opened his mouth to reassure him, but at that moment Ishikawa-san emerged from the open door of the shrine and moved over to join them. Kiyo observed him stop just in front of the pillar, careful not to cross it. Beside him Rikuo straightened up, as if in answer to an unspoken challenge.

"Well, there you are!" He called, speaking with a clear strong voice despite his age. "The tour was just about to start. Why don't you go on in young man, while I speak a moment with your friend here."

Kiyo eyed him warily at that statement, suddenly not so sure he wanted to leave the two of them alone. But things were abruptly decided for him, as the priest reached out and grabbed his shoulder, dragging him over to the other side of the pillar. He gave him a little shove towards the shrine entrance. Kiyo jerked away and scowled, opening is mouth to give the old dude a piece of his mind. But then he caught sight of his friend, and instantly thought better of it.

Rikuo didn't look scared or uncomfortable anymore. In fact, if anything he appeared rather amused by the unfolding events. And there, clearly appearing on his lips… was that an evil grin?

It vanished into a blank look as soon as Rikuo noticed he was still looking. He stumbled a bit over his toes and looked away, managing to make it into the shrine. He stopped as soon as he was out of sight. Backing up to the wall and scooting over so he was right next to the door. Rikuo and the priest remained just outside. Kiyotsugu stilled his breathing so he could listen.

"As I thought, you cannot pass through… youkai. Your disguise is excellent, but now your true nature has been revealed and I cannot suffer your evil blood on our sacred grounds."

Kiyotsugu's eyes widened. Hesitantly he leaned over to poke his head out the side of the entrance-way. He was just in time to see the old priest's arm flick out, throwing a piece of paper at Rikuo. Instead of fluttering to the ground, it flew steady and swift, right for his friend. Then there was the glint of light off metal, momentarily dazzling his sight as Nura jumped to the side.

The pieces of paper drifted to the ground, sliced perfectly in two. Kiyo gaped as he saw Rikuo bring down a sword, moving to sheath the yakuza-style blade. Had he been carrying that the whole time? How could he have hidden a _sword?_ His thoughts were interrupted by Rikuo's menacing laughter.

"Old man, do you have any idea who _I am?_ Not the kind of demon you can get rid of with _seals." _

Rikuo stalked forward, right up to the pillar so that the two opponents were standing only a few feet apart. Somehow his friend looked taller than he was a moment ago, his hair bushier, and his eyes gained a sinister glint. He held his sword loosely, the blade still sheathed as he sneered at the priest.

"Do you actually think that you are safe there, behind that barrier? That I can't reach you?"

Ishikawa-san stood defiantly. He reached into his sleeve and took out another paper seal in response to the threat, holding it up between two fingers. But before he could throw it, Rikuo made a gesture with his fingers. The seal went up in a burst of blue flame.

Ishikawa cried out in surprise and dropped the seal before his fingers could be burned. It fluttered to the ground and dissolved into ash. But even after it was gone, the flame remained, a little blue ball flickering on the gravel. The priest stared at it in fear.

"Spirit flame! But there's only one who can call…" The priest trailed off and seemed to grow rather pale.

"Your name," the priest whispered. It seemed to Kiyo as if the old man shrunk into himself a little, subconsciously trying to creep away from the one standing before him.

"It was Nura, wasn't it. You are… the Third." Across from him Rikuo smiled.

"That's me. Nice to meet you, Ishikawa-san." The priest shook his head in disbelief.

"But why are you here?" He demanded. Rikuo sighed and pursed his lips, giving the other a thoughtful glance.

"Believe it or not, I came here with my friends for the tour, no other reason. Besides, can't you sense it? Whatever used to be sealed in that shrine has long since shriveled away. There's nothing left. Even if there was, after Kyoto I have no desire to awaken any wrathful demons." He stated honestly. The priest didn't seem convinced, given his skeptical tone.

"Are they really your friends? You're not even human." At that, Rikuo looked shocked for a moment before his face turned dark. Kiyotsugu thought it might be a good time to intervene.

"Ishikawa-san!" He called out from the door, stepping out so they could see him. "I am curious about some of the artifacts in here. Will you come tell us a little bit about them?" He risked a glance in Rikuo's direction. The sword and spirit flame had mysteriously disappeared and he was looking innocently off in the other direction.

"Nura-kun, why don't we regroup at the top of the stairs when we're done?" The shorter boy met his eyes for a moment and nodded once. Then he abruptly turned away and padded off towards a tree lined path in the distance. The student and the priest both watched him move away, lost in their respective thoughts.

"Kiyotsugu-san, was it? That boy is a friend of yours, isn't he? Is he a rough sort?" Kiyo blinked, and managed to sound both reproachful and offended in his reply.

"You couldn't be farther from the truth. Nura-kun is one of the most kind and gentle people that I have ever met." The two of them stared at each other for a moment, before the older man nodded his head in acceptance and led them back into the shrine.

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Thanks for reading, and for reviewing. Really appreciate it, guys!

Next time: Not sure yet... O.O


	4. Chapter 4

Hey all! This stumbled out while I was attempting to avoid working on a presentation. It was a result of one too many glasses of wine and watching Superman/Shazam!: The Return of Black Adam on Netflix... don't ask, I don't know why either.

But anyway, have you seen the manga? Love the way it's going.

Un-betaed, forgive my errors.

This time: And understanding is reached. Does that sound like a Yoda-ism? (-_-)

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Rikuo stumbled away towards the woods, his mind racing.

His sensitive hearing had picked out the startled breaths of his long time friend Kiyotsugu standing just on the other side of the temple doors. Surely his friend had overheard the entire confrontation between himself and that obstinate old priest.

His secret was out.

What was he going to do?

What would Kiyotsugu say?

Visions of the entire school cringing away from him in terror flashed across his mind's eye. He was a monster. Now they would know. Now… They would be afraid. Demons fed on fear, after all. Without it he would lose his power. But it wasn't right.

Rikuo shook his head in frustration and punched the trunk of the nearest tree. A crater formed where his fist impacted in the bark. A moment later the sensation registered in his brain and he withdrew his hand, howling in pain_. Damn spirit energy!_ He thought ruefully. He was still strong, but not invincible with his night form so close to the surface.

His family, and the ayakashi known as Nurarihyon, had always fed on the fear of others - like any other demon. But his fear was fascination, _awe_ of the unknown. He preyed upon their admiration of the darkness, and the beauty and strength that could exist within it. He had always been flash and flame, an overwhelming presence with the night parade looming so large in the mist that followed him.

Absolute terror did not suit him. He had no use for it. He did not wish to harm humans, and so he did not use the type of fear that could destroy them. But it existed. And now he could imagine it reflected back at him in Kiyotsugu's eyes. That sort of fear made a human cower away, crippled like a deer in the road, unable to move from encroaching death. It was the sort of reaction demons counted upon, and the sort of reaction Rikuo detested most in his heart.

Suddenly a voice reached his ears, floating on the wind.

"You couldn't be farther from the truth. Nura-kun is one of the most kind and gentle people that I have ever met."

It was Kiyotsugu. Rikuo was astonished.

His friend didn't hate him, and he wasn't afraid. Abject relief flooded his mind so strongly he sank to his knees in the middle of the path. He sat there for a long moment, staring absently at the rounded pebbles that made up the walking path, barely registering the sensations.

Well, alright then. He could still fix things. He scratched the side of his head in confusion. But how was he going to do that? He fell back to his old standbys of basic human interaction. _Be polite. Be kind._ _Be helpful. _The things a demon would never be. Rikuo shook himself mentally and stood up.

What was that on his face? This dampness was… tears? He had been crying. Rikuo huffed out a sob of relief and looked up into the twilight. Overhead crows circled in the sky. One swooped down to perch on his shoulder, eying him speculatively. Rikuo sighed and reached out with a finger to stroke the soft plumage on its head.

"I'm having a bit of a rough night. But I'll survive." He murmured affectionately to the bird. "Tell the Tengu siblings that everything is fine. I'll return home as planned." The crow nodded at him and took off into the forest. Rikuo wiped at his eyes and moved slowly for the stairs to wait for his friends.

_Yes, they are my friends._

Rikuo grinned at the thought.

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Kiyotsugu glanced around the temple, soaking in the ancient artifacts and unique architecture of the building. There was a lot to see, and at any other time he would have been in ecstasy, surrounded by the history of his favorite past-time, ayakashi lore. But his thoughts were still humming away on the events of earlier this evening.

His friend was a youkai.

He just could not get past the shock. He had been searching so long for proof of their existence. And here it had been hiding right under his nose this whole time! What were the chances?

He was so lucky. Now he'd finally get to find out all about the secret world that hovered just beyond his fingertips. All that mystery and intrigue, danger and excitement, just waiting for him to reach out and grab! His life would be forever changed.

"Rikuo… why did you hide?" He murmured to himself. What knowledge did his smaller, quieter friend possess? Why hadn't he ever said anything? He was an actual, living, breathing, _youkai_ for god's sake! A _youkai_ that attended classes like a human, had a home and a family, and joined… his paranormal investigation squad? What use could his friend have had for such a thing? Surely he must already know everything they had sought to discover.

A jolt of anger scorched through him. All this time… and Rikuo had lied to him! He _knew_ how important youkai were to him. Just on the ride over he had told him how amazed and awed he had felt at the sight of that great ayakashi, Nurarihyon. And Rikuo had never said anything! Why hadn't he wanted Kiyo to know the truth? Something nagged at the back of his mind.

_"But what I don't understand is, why do you want to meet him again? Aren't you afraid he'd sneak into your house and steal all your food? They say that's what he does."_

Rikuo didn't seem to share his opinion of Nurarihyon. But then again, neither did the legends. Some painted him at the head of the night parade of a hundred demons, leading that procession of chaos and destruction all through the city. Others painted him as a trickster and a thief, making off with what was not his. Always causing trouble and grief upon those he visited. And most of all, they painted him as the Supreme Commander of the Youkai… the Lord of Pandemonium.

He was hated and feared, loved and revered. And…Kiyotsugu could not blame him for hiding this. It was a terrifying thing to know.

He considered the others in his squad. How would they react to the news? He could see their faces. Maki and Torii wouldn't take it well. Not at first, anyway. Neither would Shima. The three of them would totally freak out. Or, possibly try to kill Rikuo out of self preservation. He winced at that thought.

So, he would keep it to himself. Maybe Oikawa and Kurata would be able to handle it. Kana was another matter. Kiyo frowned to himself. She had met Nurarihyon before. At the time Kiyo had been rather jealous that it had been her, and not him, who had seen the mysterious ayakashi of the night. But he was more relieved that she was safe, following an attack by a crazed youkai. His breath caught in his throat.

Was that it?

Had Rikuo been _protecting_ them all this time? Kiyotsugu shook his head and laughed in amazement. It was what he had been doing that first time he had met him, after all. That day on the bus, the little Nurarihyon had saved all of their lives. It seemed that things were still just as they had been back then, only now they were growing up.

Suddenly it all made sense. The many sightings his squad had claimed to have had with various youkai. Kana said Nurarihyon had shown up to save her at the last second. Had shown up to save _them. _Had he really been so oblivious?

He had been taking them into danger all this time. In his idiotic efforts to prove to the world that youkai were real, he had strode like a fool into lands where angels feared to tread. And each and every time, he had strode right back out again like the fool that he was.

Because of Rikuo.

Because the Lord of Pandemonium had followed him into the darkness.

Kiyo felt his own determination solidify. Now was his chance to return the favor. Now it was his turn to repay all those years of hidden strength, silence and solitude. Rikuo would have nothing to fear from him.

Kiyotsugu turned back to the wall scroll he was studying with a shake of his head. It had supposedly been painted back in the time of the priestess that had sealed away the demon in the shrine. The work was titled _Miko __Souretsu Vanquishes Evil. _The scroll depicted the famed priestess kneeling in prayer beside a fallen demon. Next to her stood an odd man with bushy hair and a lantern in his hand. The three figures were surrounded by a ring of monsters.

The old priest Ishikawa came up behind him with a nod at the painting.

"Legend says that the young priestess had some help defeating the terrible demon in battle." Kiyotsugu nodded his head in agreement.

"From the night parade of a hundred demons."

"Yes," The priest sighed reluctantly. "That is him, in the scroll." He pointed at the demon standing next to Souretsu-sama with a lantern lit by spirit flame.

"Nurarihyon, the Lord of Pandemonium."

Kiyotsugu turned back to the priest, swallowing nervously.

"You know, it was my idea to come here. I wanted to know more about the history of this place. And see the remains of the demon that was sealed away here. He never knew what I was planning until we got here. It really wasn't his fault."

The priest shot him a penetrating look at his words. He seemed to weigh something in his mind for a moment before his sighed regretfully and spoke in his old and weathered tone.

"You overheard our little tiff in the courtyard."

Kiyo raised his eyebrows at the priest's description of events, but after a moment nodded his head in affirmation. At his response the priest seemed to stoop over even more, as if the weight of the world was slowly dragging him down.

"Then I am sorry. I was only trying to protect you from the darkness. But it seems as if I have made a terrible mistake." Kiyotsugu gave him a confused look at that statement. He couldn't understand what the old man was trying to say. The other nodded at his expression with a look of sorrow.

"It is better to live in ignorance, my friend. For once you have seen the horrors of the darkness, they can never be unseen. And those who do not join the darkness have no defense against their fear. That is the true power of demons."

Kiyotsugu stared at him for a moment, then smiled down at the old man with all the kindness he could muster.

"But he is my friend. He has always looked out for me. So now that I know the truth, there is nothing left to fear, is there?"

Ishikawa-san blinked at him in astonishment. Then he shook his head and chuckled.

"Son," he rumbled in between his laughter, "you are either a fool or a dead man. Possibly both."

Kiyotsugu laughed with him, because if he didn't he was afraid he might just break into hysterics.

"I think you're right about that!"

He grinned at the priest and turned to look around at the others in the shrine. Shima was standing near the door, looking absentmindedly out into the courtyard in the general direction of the food carts, trying not to look like he was about to fall asleep. Kana was studying another one of the wall scrolls that had a depiction of Nurarihyon in it, trying not to appear too fascinated by the image. Torii and Maki had seated themselves on one of the benches within the shrine, and were quietly people-watching while whispering and giggling with each other. He grinned at his friends, and took a breath to gather his scattered thoughts.

"Hey guys! Why don't we call it a night? Let's head back to the train station." The others slowly gathered themselves up and headed over to meet him and Ishikawa-san by the entrance. He turned back to the priest and bowed formally to the old man in gratitude.

"Thank you, Priest Ishikawa, for the wonderful tour of your shrine. We enjoyed listening to your stories about the history of this place. It was very educational." The old man regarded him fondly for a moment before he bowed his head in acknowledgement.

"Thank you for visiting, I hope you return someday. The Tomoe Shrine is always open."

He turned and led them out of the building. Slowly they approached the stairs, and sure enough, there was Nura-kun waiting nervously to meet up with them. Kiyotsugu couldn't help but marvel at his friend. He just seemed so little - standing there, with his drooping shoulders and downcast expression, nudging his toe against the rocks lining the path. And yet…

So much was hidden, but not to Kiyotsugu's eyes any longer. He couldn't help but grin at his friend in delight. Rikuo looked up hesitantly and met his eyes. His own gentle brown orbs widened in astonishment. Kiyo graced him with the most kind and gentle smile he could manage, before speaking softly.

"Hey, Rikuo-kun! We got to see lots of interesting things inside the shrine! I'll tell you all about it on the way home. Are you ready to head out?"

Rikuo tilted his head to regard him with curiosity for a long moment. Then he nodded his head decisively and returned his delighted grin.

"Yeah, just about." His smile fell a little as he turned to the priest and bowed deeply.

"I am so sorry Ishikawa-san, for all the trouble I have caused you. I never meant you any harm." The old priest bowed just as deeply to him in return. Then straightened up and grinned at his friend.

"I know, son. I may have overreacted a bit. You just startled me. The Keikain house has formally named you as an ally, and that is good enough for me." The three of them had moved ahead a little ways, and the old priest leaned forward a bit to whisper so only they could hear him. He looked at Kiyotsugu, then to Rikuo and whispered mischievously.

"Go in peace, Master of all Spirits."

Rikuo gasped and jerked away while Kiyo's jaw dropped at the old man's audacity. His friend recovered fast and let his eyes fly to Kiyotsugu's face, trying to gauge his reaction to the slip. But Kiyotsugu just couldn't stop smiling. He grinned happily at his friend and laughed quietly at the old man. Rikuo, not quite sure what to make of his reaction, shot a venomous glare at the priest before managing a somewhat shaky and mildly sheepish grin himself.

Kiyo patted Rikuo fondly on the shoulder for a moment before leading the Paranormal Investigation squad down the stairs. As they made the quiet walk back to the train station through the growing darkness of the subdued autumn night, Kiyo turned suddenly to whisper in his friend's ear.

"Thank You."

Rikuo turned to look at him, raising a brow in question.

He grinned back and murmured quietly.

"I have decided what I would say, if I ever met _him_ again. I would thank him for saving my life." He met Rikuo's gaze through the growing darkness.

His friend's eyes almost glowed, the twilight tinting his hazel iris with a bloody reddish tinge. It was demonic, but not in the least bit frightening. That thought brought another laugh to his lips. He met Rikuo's eyes again and managed to add with more solemnity.

"It is something I will never forget."

Rikuo tilted his head once more, studying him in amazement. His eyes seemed to look right through him for a moment, his sight lying in some wild and unfathomable world that Kiyotsugu would never be able to see. But then they refocused and pinned Kiyo down with a ferocity so sharp, he feared he'd be speared by their intensity. Finally he smiled and his whole face was transformed in to the soft-spoken, shy yet determined Rikuo-kun that he had always known.

"You're welcome!"

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* * *

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Next time: Kiyo stumbles upon the obituary of one Nura Rihan, and some questions are raised...

Also, a note on translation as one of my reviewers kindly raised with me. I am calling Rikuo youkai, or yokai. Have seen this translated as 'demon' in the anime and scanned manga I read. As in hyakki yako, night parade of a hundred demons. But perhaps a better translation would be 'ayakashi' or 'bad spirit' as I have seen it translated. Either way will be used.


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